From early times, man has been interested in art. People have often worked together to collect and save the world’s art treasures.
Fine art treasures from many countries are kept in an art museum called the Louvre in Paris, France. The works of art have been collected by the people of France over many centuries. It is the biggest art museum in the world.
The Louvre has not always been a museum. The first building was a castle. In 1190, it was the king’s castle with high wails and a round tower. It had a river to keep out the enemies.
Over the years, the number of the buildings around the castle grew. By 1350, the castle no longer needed to be extended. The Louvre became a palace home for French kings and queens.
During times of peace, new treasures were brought in. During the days of war, many treasures were stolen, and the buildings, were damaged.
When Francis I became king of France in 1515, he brought in many artists from other countries. One of the artists was Leonardo da Vinci from Italy. Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is the best-known painting in the museum today.
In 1793, the Louvre became a public museum, just as it is now. It is a place where art treasures are kept for everyone to enjoy, every year millions of people from all over the world come to the Louvre to see the masterpieces.
1. How long has the Louvre been a public museum?| A．For over 800 years. | B．Since 1350. | C．Since 1515. | D．For over 200 years. |
| A．Da Vinci once stayed in France. |
| B．“Mona Lisa” is kept in the Louvre. |
| C．The Louvre was once a church as well as a palace. |
| D．The Louvre is a place of interest to different people from all over the world. |
| A．French kings and queens ordered people to build another buildings as their palace home in 1350 |
| B．many treasures were brought into the Louvre in 1190 |
| C．Francis I came into power in 1515 and damaged some buildings |
| D．Some works of art in the museum have been collected from many countries |
| A．an art museum called the Louvre | B．an Italian artist named Leonardo da Vinci |
| C．a king of France named Francis I | D．the best-known painting in the Louvre |
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【推荐1】St Kilda is a tiny archipelage (群岛) of the North Atlantic Ocean. The islands are among the most spectacular, but the greatest fascination is that, for over a thousand years, people lived there and possessed a sense of community. Cut off from the mainland, the islanders had a distinct way of living their lives, mainly eating the seabirds that returned to breed on the rocks.
Isolation also had a big effect upon St Kildans’ attitudes and ideas. The people sacrificed themselves year in and year out, in a constant battle to secure a livelihood. In such harsh conditions, life was only possible because the whole community worked together.
In the 19th century St Kilda was subject to pressures from the outside world. Education, religion and tourism all attempted to throw the St Kildans’ way of life into doubt. In the early 20th century, the strength of the community became weakened as contact with the rest of Britain increased. When disease cut their numbers, and wind and sea made it difficult to get adequate food, the St Kildans were forced to turn to the mainland for assistance.
In 1930, the St Kildans finally agreed to abandon their homes. They settled on the Scottish mainland, not realizing it meant throwing themselves into the 20 century. As adults, they had to accept those values most Scots believe in. For instance, the islanders found difficult to base their existence upon money. They had never lived in a world where they bought goods and services from each other.
The islanders showed themselves indifferent to the jobs they were given on the mainland. The labours asked of them were unskilled compared with the spectacular skills they had once performed in order to kill seabirds. Moreover, killing birds had once provided the community with food to survive. On the mainland, however, the tasks they were asked to perform did not provide them immediately with what was needed to keep them fed and warm.
The history of the St Kildans after the evacuation (撤离), of their inability and lack of resolution to fit into urban society, makes sad reading. When they were resettled on the mainland, the St Kildans were forced to live in a society whose values were unacceptable and incomprehensible to the majority of them. For many, the move was a tragedy.
1. According to Paragraph 3, the following factors lead to St Kildans seeking help from outside EXCEPT ________.| A．unbearable wind | B．insufficient food supply |
| C．contact with Britain | D．worsening health |
| A．soon learned how to buy goods and services from others |
| B．had trouble adapting to the value of dominant society |
| C．exhibited willingness to carry out their given jobs |
| D．had the opportunity to show their skills of killing seabirds |
| A．The major source of food was found locally. |
| B．It was essential for people to help each other. |
| C．Very few people had visited mainland Scotland. |
| D．Money played an insignificant role in life. |
| A．The role of money in modern communities. |
| B．How a community adapted to a different form of life. |
| C．The destruction of an old-fashioned community. |
| D．How a small community fight against opposite conditions. |
【推荐2】The story about horses in North America told in several written histories is in need of an update, according to a new study. After examining archaeological (考古学的) remains (遗骸) of horses, researchers suggest Indigenous peoples (土著居民) had spread the animals through the American West by the first half of the 1600s — before they met Europeans.
The findings agree with oral (口述的) histories from Indigenous groups, which tell of interactions (相互作用) with horses before settlers arrived in their homelands. Meanwhile, written European texts from the 1700s and 1800s stated that horses only spread through the area after 1680.
Horses first appeared in the Americas around four million years ago, but by about 10,000 years ago, they had mostly disappeared from the record. Spanish settlers likely first brought horses back to the Americas in 1519. According to the new study, Indigenous peoples then transported horses north along trade networks
To find when the animals spread, researchers examined the remains of more than twenty horses discovered across the Western U.S. Rather than simply walking around the countryside on their own, the horses appear to have been part of Native American culture. Signs of teeth problems on one horse and growths on the bones of the head of another suggested people had put bridles (马勒) on the animals. Certain chemical elements (化学元素) in the animals’ teeth suggested they ate maize, an Indigenous plant. And another horse had a previously broken facial bone that had fully recovered, meaning it might have received medical treatment.
Researchers compared the ancient horses’ DNA with that of modern horses and found that the centuries-old horses had largely Spanish origins (血统).
Together, the findings suggest horses spread “from Spanish settlements in the American Southwest to the northern Rockies and central Great Plains by the first half of the 17th century.”
The findings also highlight the importance of Indigenous oral traditions in understanding history. “Our cultures have been so misunderstood for so long,” says co-author Yvette Collin. “Too often history has been told around us, without us.”
1. What needs to be updated according to the new study?| A．When horses showed up in the Americas. |
| B．Who introduced horses to North America. |
| C．When Native Americans first met Europeans. |
| D．Who spread horses through the American West. |
| A．They had hardly any Spanish origins. | B．They were born with tooth disease. |
| C．They played a role in natives’ life. | D．They were badly treated by natives. |
| A．They spread easily. | B．They show the truth. |
| C．They pass down traditions. | D．They unite Indigenous groups. |
| A．Written texts explain human-horse interactions |
| B．Oral histories help us understand Indigenous cultures |
| C．New research rewrites the history of American horses |
| D．Archaeological remains are the key to learning about the past |
【推荐3】Judging by the historic record, we’ve been fascinated by our reflections for a long time. Some of the earliest human-made mirrors date to 6200 B. C. in Turkey. But even back then, mirrors were largely used to assess how beautiful we were. Egyptians paintings show the upper classes combing their hair and applying thick cosmetics in front of mirrors. Mirrors were associated from early on with vanity.
In the Renaissance, Italians began developing techniques for making flatter glass, and in 1507 hit upon a way of producing clear mirrors. This new technology was wonderful, but so expensive that nobles sometimes sold property just to afford one. In the 16th and 17th centuries, mirror making was so costly that it required the investment of half of France’s GDP. By the time the Renaissance was in full flower, wealthy noblemen could get large mirrors in which they could see their entire body at a glance. It was a transformative sight. The historian Ian Mortimer believes that mirror was central in developing the modern sense of the individual. As the novelist Louis-Sebastien Mercler noted in the1780s, wealthy young men would look “at four mirrors at once to see themselves”.
Many others thought nothing of all this self-regard. In the early years of America, “mirrors were considered, within American society, a kind of luxury that was somewhat shameful,” says Josiah McElheny, a Brooklyn-based artist who works with mirrors. Some countries imposed taxes on large mirrors. America’s mirror taxes were so high that if a furniture maker wished to create a full-body-sized reflection without going bankrupt, he had to assemble it from several smaller mirrors.
It wasn’t until the last decades of the 19th century that the industrial world could finally make big mirrors cheaply. Production exploded and mirrors quickly passed from luxurious products for the rich to everyday devices that were affordable among an emerging middle class. In 1897, Sears Roebuck advertised ten-inch-square mirrors for only 50 cents apiece and said: “No house is complete without a number of small mirrors which are handy in so many rooms.”
1. Which of the following statements is true of the mirrors in the Renaissance?| A．They were rather small in size. | B．They were unaffordable to most people. |
| C．They were mostly manufactured in Italy. | D．They were no longer associated with vanity. |
| A．Humans started to think of themselves as an individual. |
| B．More and more mirrors shops sprang up all over Europe. |
| C．Novelists began to write about people’s love for mirrors. |
| D．People cared about their appearance for the first time. |
| A．brought their makers much profit | B．were regarded as something bringing embarrassment |
| C．caused many furniture makers to go bankrupt | D．were mostly assembled from small pieces |
| A．The transformative sight of mirrors. | B．The varying enthusiasm for mirrors. |
| C．The historic development of mirrors. | D．The change in people’s attitudes to mirrors. |
【推荐1】The world is going through a basic transformation,which is changing the way we live, work and think. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is bringing dramatic change and giving rise to a future filled with exciting opportunities and new challenges. Together, governments and businesses must find solutions to society's most pressing needs—from creating a carbon-free economy to tackling population growth and urbanization.
In any period of rapid change there is a trend to look for a simple method,to greet the new things and replace the old way of doing things. But a closer look at the facts tells a different story. Complex problems require many solutions working in harmony to enable positive change.
The challenge for scientists and engineers is to provide solutions in fact, data and today's realities. And while technologies offer new tools to help uncover solutions, the process also requires hard work, imagination and lots of improvement.
Success rests on performing practical, realistic, long- term solutions that make the world cleaner, safer and more sustainable(可持续的).
The environment is a case in point. Much of the public debate has centered on the central role of renewable power sources in realizing a low-carbon energy future. While the industry is fully behind developing renewables, today we understand that a low or zero-carbon future depends on adopting a multifaceted approach.
We cannot control sunshine levels or decide when the wind blows, which means solar power and wind power generators will produce too much or too little energy at times. The transition to renewables needs to take account of serious considerations.
Batteries have been much discussed as a means of storing extra energy, but there are other choices. Power-to- X technologies enable spare energy created by renewables to be stored and redistributed when and where it is needed.
1. Which of the following best explains the underlined word“tackling" in Paragraph 1?| A．Caring about. | B．Dealing with. |
| C．Going through. | D．Suffering from. |
| A．Offer new tools to help uncover solutions. |
| B．Look for a simple method to face the future. |
| C．Find out ways to solve the problem. |
| D．Realize a low-carbon energy future. |
| A．Powerful. |
| B．Safe. |
| C．Clean. |
| D．Unsteady. |
| A．They can adjust power supply. |
| B．They take the place of batteries. |
| C．They help make more electricity. |
| D．They can create power from wind and sun. |
【推荐2】Children whose fathers make time to play with them from a very young age may find it easier control their behavior as they grow up, research suggests.
To understand what effect playtime with dads can have on kids, the researchers analyzed nearly 80 studies, undertaken between 1977 and 2017 — most of them in Europe or North America. They were most interested in understanding how playtime between dads and their kids translated into kids’ development.
On average, they found that most fathers play with their children every day. Even with the smallest children, however, father-child play tends to be more physical. With babies, that may simply mean picking them up or helping them to gently raise their arms and legs; with toddlers (学步儿童), physical play includes rough-and-tumble activities, like chasing (追赶) game.
The study found that the kids who enjoyed playtime with their fathers were less likely to lose their tempers with other kids and exhibited better behavior. The researchers found that this was beneficial kids’ development, as this type of play was associated with better self-control and behavioral outcomes.
“Physical play creates fun, exciting situations in which children have to apply self-regulation.” said Ramchandani, Professor at the University of Cambridge. “They learn from their mistakes and the reactions they get from others. If they react the wrong way, they might get scolded, but it’s not the end of the world — and next time they might remember to behave differently.”
However, the researchers stress that children who only live with their mothers need not be at a disadvantage. “Different parents may have slightly different inclinations when it comes to playing with children, but part of being a parent is stepping outside your comfort zone. Children are likely to benefit most if they are given different ways to play and interact,” said Ramchandani.
1. What did the researchers focus on during the research?| A．How father-child play affected kids’ growth. |
| B．What role mothers played during the activities. |
| C．How often fathers and children played together. |
| D．What lessons they could learn from the past studies. |
| A．With the help of their partners. | B．Through a trial-and-error practice. |
| C．Through strict physical training. | D．Under their parents’ patient direction. |
| A．Tendencies. | B．Explanations. | C．Decisions. | D．Contributions. |
| A．Fathers should learn to control their tempers. |
| B．Mother-child play needs to be more physical. |
| C．Fathers spend more time with kids than mothers. |
| D．Father-child playtime helps kids develop self-control. |
【推荐3】The study of joint attention (the interaction between the parents and the baby) between a baby and the caregiver revealed that greater joint attention generates greater language development in the child.
A camera was used by Yu and Smith to record the caregiver’s and the baby’s actions. The caregiver talked to the baby about the object the child chose to hold. This study was used to understand if both participants’ gaze mattered when joint attention was happening.
Several years later, Yu and Smith modified their study with Jeffrey to see if the time when the caregiver said the name mattered when the baby was learning words. Having several objects laid out before him, a child chose one and the caregiver would name and talk about the thing. By doing so. that child would develop a greater understanding of objects and their names because the child was hearing and seeing at the same time. This social interconnection led to a greater understanding of words’ meaning, creating a stronger foundation for vocabulary development later in the child’s life.
In contrast, Mundy and Gomes wrote an article that considered whether a child’s individual differences affected the skill of joint attention. Their study had groups of babies go through a series of tests and then made a follow-up visit sixteen weeks later. Each test examined the stability of joint attention and other nonverbal communication measures.
Mundy and Gomes wanted to see if there were differences in receptive and expressive language that would contribute to a child’s individual differences. It was gathered that the aspects (child’s gender. mother’s education level. household income)were not significantly associated with the language or nonverbal communication. By showing that individual factors had no impact on the child’s language development, the testers included that children learn language in a similar manner.
1. What does the author think of the effect joint attention has on language development?| A．It’s important. | B．It’s temporary. | C．It’s slight. | D．It’s uncertain. |
| A．The babies were at the same age. | B．They both needed the babies to choose an object. |
| C．The researchers in both studies were the same. | D．The caregivers knew little about the objects’ names. |
| A．The caregivers’ education level. | B．The patterns of language development. |
| C．The meanings of verbal communication. | D．The children’s individual differences. |
| A．Literature. | B．Science. | C．Economy. | D．Fashion. |
【推荐1】What makes a work of architecture great? Most people would argue that aesthetics (美感) are the most important.
Constructed entirely of granite—a hard and tough stone, the library is durable. It can withstand environmental pollution. For example, it is resistant to acid rain. Moreover, its granite structure is stable so it’s more likely to survive an earthquake.
Finally, the library is beautiful, with aesthetically pleasing details both inside and out. The large windows are copper-framed (铜框的). The copper color provides an interesting contrast against the color of the granite structure and it will remain as the copper ages. Growth from the rooftop garden, which reaches down the sides of the building, adds to the aesthetics of the building.
Durability, functionality and beauty make the Rostonville Library a great structure. Architects who follow Vitruvius’s principles help to make the city more pleasant to live in.
| A．The library is also sustainable. |
| B．It is true that beauty is critical. |
| C．This is not the only concern of the architects. |
| D．The library was designed with functionality in mind. |
| E．It softens the lines of the structure and helps it to fit into its natural surroundings. |
| F．Plus，the library was built on the edge of the city park，surrounded by native plants. |
| G．Buildings that fulfill these criteria offer both peace of mind and beauty for their users. |
【推荐2】Morgan’s Wonderland, located in San Antonio, Texas, is a theme park intended mainly for mentally or physically disabled children. The park was built by a man called Gordon Hartman, a former real estate developer(房地产开发商).
Completely wheelchair-accessible, the park is home to a variety of thrilling rides.
Moreover, each visitor is offered the option to wear a GPS Adventure Band, which allows them to keep track of each other while in the park.
In June 2017, Morgan’s Wonderland celebrated the opening of Morgan’s Inspiration Island.
| A．Admission for guests with special needs is free. |
| B．The new expansion is composed of five themed splash pads and a River Boat Adventure Ride. |
| C．The world’s first wheelchair-accessible family fun park, Morgan’s Wonderland opened in the spring of 2010. |
| D．You can’t afford to miss your trip to Morgan’s Wonderland. |
| E．The rides are custom designed to accommodate wheelchair riders so that every family member can enjoy the fun. |
| F．The band also enables them to take part in electronic activities. |
| G．The creation of the park was inspired by his daughter, Morgan, who suffers from severe mental and physical challenges. |
The Leaning Tower of Pisa no longer leans quite so much after a ￡20 million project to save it was hailed a complete success yesterday. The tower, which was on the verge of collapse, has been straightened by 18 inches returning it to its 1838 position.
The tower, which has been leaning almost since building work first began in 1173, was closed to the public in 1990 because of safety fears. The 183-foot tower was nearly 15 feet off vertical(垂直线) and its structure was found to have been weakened by centuries of strain.
The last attempt at straightening the tower was carried out under orders from Benito Mussolini, who wanted it to be perfectly vertical.
Concrete was poured into the foundations, but the result was that the tower sank further into the soil.
The straightening work involved the extraction of around 70 tons of earth from the northern side of the tower, causing it to sink on that side. Before the digging started, the tower was anchored with steel cables and 600 tons of lead weights.
However, halfway through the project, concerns at the ugliness of the weights led to their removal and the tower lurched (倾斜) dramatically. “In one night, the tower moved more than it had averaged in an entire year,” said Prof. Borland. The weights were hastily reattached.
The tower’s stonework has also been restored and tourists can clearly see the difference between its levels of limestone and marble.
“If we had not stepped in, the tower would have collapsed between 2030 and 2040,” said Salvatore Settees, the president of the rescue committee. “This is crucial for the tower’s stability and it was a totally Italian success.”
The Italian government stepped in after a tower collapsed in Pavia in 1989, killing four people.
1. Why was the tower closed to the public in 1990?| A．It was destroyed. | B．It was moved. |
| C．It was in danger and also dangerous. | D．Every tower in Italy was closed then. |
| A．Removal of concerns. | B．Removal of the tower. |
| C．Removal of ugliness. | D．Removal of lead pieces. |
| A．South. | B．West. | C．North. | D．East. |
| A．A 20 million project straightened the tower vertical. |
| B．The tower has been straightened where it was in 1838. |
| C．Concrete poured into the foundations worked in the straightening work. |
| D．The tower may collapse between 2030 and 2040. |
